Tuesday's Letters to the Editor

| March 10, 2014

Stop springing forward

EDITOR: There is no longer any purpose for daylight saving time. Why do we spring forward only to be engulfed in darkness at 7:30 a.m.? Most adults in America are commuting to work at this hour, and we all know it is significantly easier to drive in light than darkness. The dark also affects the morning routines of children walking to school as their routes are harder to manage and their safety is jeopardized.

Society has changed over time, and people no longer need sunlight at 9:30 p.m. Most people are already in their houses watching television and don't care if it's light outside. Many countries around the world including Europe have realized the unimportance of daylight saving time and have decided to quit the program.

Studies such as those done by PhysOrg say that energy use goes up during daylight saving time — the opposite of its intent.

Let's just put the stress of changing the clock, driving to work and walking to school in the dark behind us. Daylight saving time helped in the past, but society no longer needs it. It's time for the program to come to an end.

CATHELINA PADILLA-SCHOOP

Santa Rosa

A sad sight

EDITOR: While driving on Petaluma Hill Road recently, I was dismayed to see 12 dead animals in various states of decay. Having already invaded their natural habitats with stretches of highway and speedy vehicles, we can at least respect 55 mph speed limits and stay alert. A bit of guilt and a thought for these dead animals never hurts either. We owe them this much.

KATE TRAPNELL

Santa Rosa

The pink door

EDITOR: Perhaps it's the Sonoma quirkiness balloon that periodically pops around politics — McCarthy and the pink-eye epidemic of the '50s; food — the jaundiced-eyed food police with their Gestapo tactics in the foie gras follies of a few years ago; or now, color — with those whose aesthetic sensibilities seem challenged by the "cerise delight" begracing Grandma Linda's front door ("Council back's shop's pink paint," March 4).

Their zealotry in "safeguard(ing) the historical character" of the Plaza would rather call back yesterday with the dirt roads bestrewed with horse droppings and an active and more colorful Blue Wing Inn.

Nevertheless, for those not blessed with protanopia, but whose historic decorum is discommoded by a nimiety of "pinko" doors, I suggest wearing rose-colored glasses to derive a more optimistic or cheerful impression of Grandma Linda's storefront and our extant plaza.

MICHAEL F. HEIMAN

Sonoma

Healdsburg growth

EDITOR: Healdsburg Citizens for Sustainable Solutions recently sent out a flier ("Group's flier targets growth issues," March 4). It seems that the group is proud of its victories, including negotiating the H3 Hotel down to under 40 rooms and hotel developer Kessler's decision not to build in Healdsburg. Hotel managers deny that Citizens for Sustainable Solutions' efforts played a role in their decisions. Yet, in the case of Kessler, the group said — and I'm not making this up — "we sent them packing!"

Notably absent from the flier was the group's profitable suit against the Saggio Hills development, a battle it lost. Yet the paper that the group was due $382,000 in attorney's fees from Saggio. The attorney was the wife of the group's founder, Warren Watkins.

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You can judge someone either by what they say or what they do. Citizens for Sustainable Solutions says it has limited growth in Healdsburg. That statement is unconfirmed. It did unsuccessfully sue a developer and pocketed a quarter of a million dollars in the process. That statement is confirmed.

While sustainable solutions may be important, a professional plaintiff with its hands in the pockets of quality business interests is quite distasteful. I'd say we should send Healdsburg Citizens for Sustainable Solutions packing.